A moment of contemplation for yourself or on behalf of others on everything from the life-altering to the mundane.Prayer: A conversation with The Higher Other who lives within each of us. An invitation to vent, to re-think, to ask, and to rest.

See how they tremble with fear because God is in the company of the righteous...the Lord restores the fortunes of his people...[Ps 14:5b, 7b]

...even though I was formerly a blasphemer...I received mercy, so that in me...Jesus Christ might display the utmost patience, making me an example to those who would come to believe in him...To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory, forever and ever... [1Timothy:13a, 16b-17]

And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and sayng, "This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them."..."Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."[Luke 15:10]

September 11. A dark date now firmly embedded forever in the history of the United States. The calendar conjures up horrific images buried not so very deeply within any of us who watched and grieved and raged and, just, simply, inexpressibly hurt in the midst of shock and disbelief. The sins of that day? Let.me.count.the.ways. - but wait, fellow Pharisees and Scribes, as we go grumbling along, "This fellow" whom we call Jesus, "welcomes sinners and eats with them." Surely not THOSE sinners because we're all quite certain what happened to them, right? Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, if that's how you feel, because Jesus would welcome them as he welcomes you and me. And, even more difficult to accept is that it isn't a job for any of us to determine whose sins are greater or where another's soul resides for eternity. My job is to acknowledge that I, a sinner, can still see the light through the darkness of my own sin. I can reach out for that saving grace that is always within me if I but want to know it. How much harder shall I look for that grace - as much as for a lost piece of property? Even if I am unable to relinquish all of my anger, my grief, my fear, of all that happened then, after, and now, or my tendency to sin in the past, the present, and the future, God in Christ never, ever leaves, but all too often, I do. The word repent literally means to turn toward.

In this time of global and local rancor, violence, and hatred, I would do well to turn toward Jesus. Therein lies all hope. The only person I can change is me and a good time for that is like, you know, NOW. Will having hope change the world ~ not likely, but it will improve my attitude which may improve my interactions with a few people. Will hope fix, heal, or restore anything that's broken, wounded, or lost ~ who knows - it can't make things worse. Hope, however fragile in a moment, can keep us buoyant through the tidal waves of emotion, fear, and guilt that pound upon our personal shores. Hope and determination find that lost sheep, discover that dropped coin, and cause angels to rejoice. Hope is the light of Christ that beckons and welcomes, even me, a sinner, and grants me a measure of inner peace and an immeasurable amount of spiritual nutrition. Peace is certainly something the world close by and at large needs in great measure. So, let it begin with me feeling hopeful. Hope, it really does float.

LET US, GOD’S
PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ Holy Lord, King of the Ages, immortal One,
the only God, most wise. You are invisible merely to our human sight yet constantly
present within us. Restore our willingness to hear and accept Your call to seek
our life’s fortune in You.

God
of Patience, Mercy, and Grace

RESPONSE:
Strengthen
us in All Goodness

~
Holy Lord, King of the Ages, draw the leaders of this world, this country, and
this community into the company of the righteous to fulfill Your purpose for all
the sheep of Your flock. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

God
of Patience, Mercy, and Grace

Strengthen us in All Goodness

~ Holy Lord, King of the Ages, surround the
hearts of those anguished by illness, uncertainty of treatment, and anxiety for
loved ones, and give ease and healing to all. We now join our voices to pray
aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

God
of Patience, Mercy, and Grace

Strengthen us in All Goodness

~
Holy Lord, King of the Ages, may the steadfastness of Your love comfort those
who struggle in the bereavement that is new, and the grief re-awakened by a
date on the calendar. Let our hearts feel and hear the joyful noise of all who
abide in Your eternal bliss until our own time to join the feast. We pray
especially for:

add your own petitions

God
of Patience, Mercy, and Grace

Strengthen us in All Goodness

~
Holy Lord, King of the Ages, we pause
in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud
or silently…

add your own petitions

God
of Patience, Mercy, and Grace

Strengthen us in All Goodness

~
Holy Lord, King of the Ages, magnify the faith of all our surrogate shepherds, who
choose to shoulder the burden of being an example of and bringing Christ to our
daily lives. We pray especially for:

add your own petitions

God
of Patience, Mercy, and Grace

Strengthen us in All Goodness

The Celebrant
adds: O God of Sinners and Saints, You are most
gracious and relentless in pursuing us through the wilderness of our own
making. Grant us the courage and the fortitude to persevere through the darkest
hours, and the brightest, turning always to You in every aspect of life. We ask
through Jesus, our Strength and our Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit, the Wisdom
of our Souls, who together with You are One God, forever and ever. Amen.

Requests for prayers or meditations for this space or private use may be sent to Leeosophy@gmail.com. All compositions remain the property of the owner of this blog but may be used with attribution as long as they are not sold or charged for in any way.

So I went down to the potter's house, and there he was working at his wheel. The vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter's hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as seemed good to him.[Jeremiah 18:3-4]

Lord, you have searched me out and known me; You trace my journeys and my resting places and are acquainted with all my ways. Indeed there is not a word on my lips, but you O Lord, know it altogether. [Psalm 139: 1a, 2-3]

Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful both to you and to me...So, if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me.[Philemon 1:11, 17]

For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it?...Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? [Luke 14:28, 31]

From the potter, to the shadow God who sees all, to Paul and Onesimus [oh-nee-see-mus], to another sobering pronouncement by Jesus, it's a busy week in Lectionary Land. Although God in Jeremiah is not happy with the house of Israel in that moment, there is great hope and comfort in the hands of the potter who can reshape and reform the vessels into more useful and pleasing containers. There is much beauty in the appointed verses for this week's Psalm since the really difficult ones are left for us to discover inside our Book of Common Prayer or Bible.

Philemon [fuh-lee-mon], quite an amazing little letter in only 25 verses. There are far more paragraphs written about this letter than there are in it and it has a very interesting back-story and questions - is Onesimus a runaway slave? - certainly this piece was used by the great and God-fearing as justification for the horrendous institution of slavery in our own and other shameful national histories. One won't ever know for certain but Paul - following the law and culture of the land and time - reminds us that even in our own time, regardless of this or any other man, woman, or child's status, she, he, they are to be welcomed as a beloved brother or sister.

And then there's the discomforting Gospel admonishing those of us who would travel with Jesus to hate family and even life itself and give up all possessions or we cannot become disciples. But in pondering and reading all the words such as Now large crowds were traveling with Jesus[Luke 14:25a] it occurs to me that maybe he was tiring of the party groupies who were merely enjoying hanging out with this celebrity and not quite understanding the full importance of his teaching. This certainly would have gotten their attention as it does mine. Perhaps that was the point. He goes on with the analogy of building a tower - reasonable for us to consider now - who wouldn't begin a building project by estimating the cost? As for warring kings, there are other parallels for us to envision such as the long-term implications of political policy that helps or hinders the lives of any of God's people and Creation itself. Traveling with Jesus isn't all just loaves and fishes. It IS a hard road but who of us are able to imagine the cost of giving up our families and all of our possessions? Last week Paul told us to be content with what we have and in Luke, Jesus was telling us how not to exalt ourselves. I think there is much the same in this week - a recurring theme of Scripture is not getting caught up in earthly delights or gathering wealth or possessions but to focus on the goal of everlasting life in Christ. Prayer, missteps, loving community are all along the way if we use them wisely as tools to help. We are clay in God's hands - unfired, therefore pliable and flexible, not like finished ceramics that are fragile and break beyond repair. The journey is not easy and the cost may be great, but we are never alone and always easily patched up and re-shaped to begin again. This isn't just a hobby for groupies to follow when convenient though sometimes having a hobby is the start of something much bigger. This is a calling and there is a price. We'll have many wrong turns and unholy moments but if our intent is true, we will be whole and more holy when we arrive at our ultimate destination.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ Almighty and Boundless God, You know us as no
other and from You no secrets are hid. Awaken us as at our earthly birth, that
we may re-fashion ourselves day by day, to follow Your will in the lives You
have given us to live.

Lord
of All, Giver of Life

RESPONSE: Refresh our hearts in Christ

~
Almighty and Boundless God, transform the relationship between the leaders of
this world, this country, and this community, and those they govern. As a
potter re-crafts at the wheel, shape character and morality into each unique
and useful vessel, and stamp Your signature of justice, mercy, and peace upon
us all. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Lord
of All, Giver of Life

Refresh our hearts in Christ

~ Almighty and Boundless God, smooth the rough
edges from all who are chipped by chronic pain, depression, or a sense of
helplessness, and polish the spirit of all who serve their needs. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in
need…

add your own petitions

Lord
of All, Giver of Life

Refresh our hearts in Christ

~
Almighty and Boundless God, encircle Your healing Hands around the grieving,
even as all those we have sent to You, are now new again in the splendor of
eternal life. We pray especially for:

add your own petitions

Lord
of All, Giver of Life

Refresh our hearts in Christ

~
Almighty and Boundless God, we pause
in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud
or silently…

add your own petitions

Lord
of All, Giver of Life

Refresh our hearts in Christ

~
Almighty and Boundless God, guide us to partner with all who have dedicated
themselves as true disciples of Jesus, who will teach us to count the blessings
more than the cost of the work ahead, and how to grow in and share our faith.
We pray especially for:

add your own petitions

Lord
of All, Giver of Life

Refresh our hearts in Christ

The Celebrant adds: Divine Artisan, Master of
Creation, keep us as malleable as unfired clay so that You, who formed us in
the womb, may continue to form our minds, our hearts, and our souls into worthy
receivers of Your love and grace. We ask through Jesus, our Redeemer, and the
Holy Spirit, our Wonderful Counselor, who together with You are One God, now
and forever. Amen

Requests for prayers or meditations for this space or private use may be sent to Leeosophy@gmail.com. All compositions remain the property of the owner of this blog but may be used with attribution as long as they are not sold or charged for in any way.

Be appalled, O heavens, at this, be shocked, be utterly desolate, says the Lord, for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and dug out cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns that can hold no water.[Jeremiah 2:12-13]

Sing with joy to God our strength...I am the Lord your God..."Open your mouth wide and I will fill it." Yet my people did not hear my voice...So I gave them over to the stubbornness of their hearts. Oh that my people would listen to me! that Israel would walk in my ways! Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him, and their punishment would last forever. But Israel would I feed with the finest wheat and satisfy him with honey from the rock.[Ps 81: 1a, 10, 12-13, 15-16]

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it...Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have...Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you, consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Through him, then, let us offer a sacrifice of praise to God...[Hebrews 13:2, 5, 7-8, 15]

But when you are invited, go and sit at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, "Friend, move up higher"...For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."[ Luke 14:10-11]

Humility. Love. Hospitality. Contentment. Worship. Simplistic perhaps, but in my mind, these are the basic elements of the readings for this week, the minimal requirements for a life in faith. I place humility first as without true humility, we are not able to honestly embrace and live in and through the others. It is also, I believe, the most difficult to inhabit. Who of us doesn't or wouldn't feel proud and pleased with a prestigious invitation, having a beautiful home, or wearing the best clothes? Those things in themselves are not bad at all, but rather, as always, it's how we reflect these kinds of acquisitions in our lives. If, within our attitudes, it places us above any others, then we have wandered away from God's path and dug out cisterns for ourselves. We are perfectly justified to be content with what we have as long as we "Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have..." [Hebrews 13:16] especially among those who cannot repay us. But humility is a tricky aspect of character. While philanthropy and generosity are well and fine and necessary, we must take care to be sincere, and genuine. Some of us may have to start small and practice this virtue often until the true spirit of it takes hold. [Yes, let that car in ahead of you in traffic and don't say or even think those words.] Jesus doesn't want us to be proud of our humility! Once we are truly humble we won't know it and we will naturally exude the love which will naturally manifest in hospitality to others, contentment with what we have, and show our respect, love, and worship of God in every thought, word, and action. Tough work ahead and, if we do it right, we won't know we've gotten there until we get THERE. Pride of place is a cracked cistern that holds no water. Let us immerse ourselves in God, the fountain of living water.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:
~ O God, Fount of
Living Water, cleanse us from stubbornness of heart and wash away our mortal discontents.
Open our ears to hear Your voice and listen to Your words, that we may walk in
Your ways in humility, with contrition, and by a continual sacrifice of praise
to You.

O
Lord, our God

RESPONSE: Our
Help and our Strength

~ O God, Fount of
Living Water, immerse the souls of those who wield international, national, and
local power in compassion, generosity, and thoughtful justice. Stem the tide of
hatred, violence, and misery in our own country and across the globe. We pray
especially for: add your own petitions

O
Lord, our God

Our Help and our Strength

~
O God, Fount of Living Water, refresh the spirits of those laid low by serious
illness and all who are in critical life circumstance, and lift the energies of
all support providers. We now join our voices to
pray aloud for those in need…

add your own petitions

O
Lord, our God

Our Help and our Strength

~ O God, Fount of
Living Water, rescue those drowning in grief with the comfort of knowing that
our loved ones are now exalted to a place of honor at Your heavenly and eternal
feast. We pray especially for:

add your own petitions

O
Lord, our God

Our Help and our Strength

~ O God, Fount of
Living Water, we pause in this moment
to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud or silently…

add your own petitions

O
Lord, our God

Our Help and our Strength

~ O God, Fount of
Living Water, shower Your blessings upon those who lead us in Your church, who
speak Your word to us, and teach us, by example, to imitate their faith and thoughtfully
consider the outcome of our own way of life. In the name of Jesus our Christ,
who is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, we pray especially for:

add your own petitions

O
Lord, our God

Our Help and our Strength

The Celebrant adds: O
God of Purest Sustenance, nourish our hearts with divine honey from the Rock of
our Salvation. Let our place at Your holy table be lower than the place we
offer to others, as we entertain angels unaware, and may each facet of our lives reflect our love, and
worship of You and all of Your Creation. We ask
throughChrist our Constant
and Eternal Savior, and the Holy Spirit, the Sacred Breath of Heaven, who
together with You are One God, from before the beginning to beyond the end.Amen.

Requests for prayers or meditations for this space or private use may be sent to Leeosophy@gmail.com. All compositions remain the property of the owner of this blog but may be used with attribution as long as they are not sold or charged for in any way.

In you,
O Lord, have I taken refuge...Deliver me and set me free...Be my strong
rock...you are my crag and my stronghold...For you are my hope...my confidence
since I was young.[Psalm 71:1a, 2a, 3, 5]

Therefore
since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, by
which we offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe, for indeed
our God is a consuming fire.[Hebrews
12:28-29]

And
just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for
eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight.
When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, "Woman, you are set free
from your ailment." When he laid hands on her, immediately she stood up
and began praising God.But the leader of the synagogue [was] indignant because Jesus had cured on the Sabbath...[Luke
13: 11-14a]

Jesus cured a woman on the Sabbath in the synagogue and created a firestorm. Yes, we Christians basically know what "Sabbath" means even if we give it a loose interpretation and practice, but for Jews - especially the Orthodox - then and now, Sabbath is not optional. It is a God-mandate, a requirement given as one of the Ten Commandments, a rich spiritual experience, beyond and within formal worship, filled with meaningful rituals and prayer. Rabbis to this day study the Law regarding Sabbath for their entire lives to understand every nuance, dispensation, and imperative to guide their congregations in strict observance. It is more than difficult for us as non-Jews in this time to understand why that moment in Jesus' ministry was such a big deal - well, that is, unless we encounter the indignance of a parishioner or 3 who are all bent out of shape by updating the language of THE Prayer Book, or who don't want a sermon that is too filled with "God" and suggestions for more Christian activities and behaviors, complain that the service is too long and turn up their noses at the homeless, addicted, and poor, who also want a place at The Table. Is it more important to follow the Rules and "the way it has always been done, the way we do things here" when the Tradition excludes some of God's children? Or perhaps the question really is: when do the rules support and enhance our relationship with God, who formed us in the womb, and when do they become idolatry? And the follow-up might be: when do I choose NOT to follow the rules and why? Paul warns us, "Yet once more..." that God can and will easily remove what can be shaken so that what cannot be shaken may remain...we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken and our acceptable worship with reverence and awe is what God truly requires. Oh there are, no doubt, a thousand ideas of what "acceptable worship is." My best guess, for me, is that I must change the shape of my practice to include more witness of my faith through how I live, think, and act, and especially, more genuine Sabbath observance - not for leisure, but rather to get more in touch with reverence and awe. What shape are you in?

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:
~ O God of All, our
Stronghold and our Rock, stand us straight up in Your sight, and reshape the
direction of our lives. Free us from the bondage of earthly attachments, and
set our daily course for the Kingdom that cannot be shaken.

Saving
Lord

RESPONSE: Our hope, our confidence, our refuge

~ O God of All,
our Stronghold and our Rock, deliver us from the clutches of evildoers and
oppressors, and bestow blessings upon the builders and planters of honorable,
trustworthy nations and communities. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Saving
Lord

Our hope, our confidence, our refuge

~
O God of All, our Stronghold and our Rock, return to health all who are
afflicted in body, soul, or life, and revive the spirits of those who tend to
their comfort. We now join our voices to pray aloud
for those in need…

add your own petitions

Saving
Lord

Our hope, our confidence, our refuge

~ O God of All,
our Stronghold and our Rock, gather the festive chorus of innumerable angels
for the glorious return of those we love, who now rise to life in the vibrance
of Your Heavenly City. We pray especially for:

add your own petitions

Saving
Lord

Our hope, our confidence, our refuge

~ O God of All,
our Stronghold and our Rock, we pause
in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud
or silently…

add your own petitions

Saving
Lord

Our hope, our confidence, our refuge

~ O God of All,
our Stronghold and our Rock, we give You thanksgiving for the vocations of all
Deacons, Priests, and Bishops, for their humanity, guidance, and devotion to
Your work. We pray especially for:

add your own petitions

Saving
Lord

Our hope, our confidence, our refuge

The Celebrant adds: Lord God Almighty,burnish our souls in the fires of this
temporal life that You, who formed us in our mothers’ wombs, will shine within
us and transform our thoughts, words, and actions into continual, awe-filled, living
worship. We ask through Jesus, the Mediator of the New Covenant, and the Holy
Spirit, our Divine Sanctifier, who together with You, reign as One God, now and
forever. Amen.

Requests for prayers or meditations for this space or private use may be sent to Leeosophy@gmail.com. All compositions remain the property of the owner of this blog but may be used with attribution as long as they are not sold or charged for in any way.

Turn now, O God of hosts, look down from heaven; behold and tend
this vine; preserve what your right hand has planted...Restore us, O Lord God
of hosts,; show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.[Ps 80:14, 18]

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of
witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so
closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us,
looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith...[Hebrews 12:1-2a]

Do you think that I have come to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three...You hypocrites! You know how to
interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to
interpret the present time?[Luke 12:51-52, 56]

Have you been to a large family dinner or gathering recently? Think Christmas, Easter, a baptism or funeral reception, or a backyard barbecue in a highly-charged election year. Division? Oh yeah, there's lots of that! Of course, depending on the moment, we can manage to be smiling and civil, even loving, but sometimes there's a slow burn, a little seething, a bitten lip when [fill-in-the-blank] says, does, or merely shows up. It's so easy to point fingers and talk behind hands and let the anger and rage build to boiling over because we have the right truth on our side and he, she or they, of course, do not. And yet, each of us is called to discover ourselves - what beliefs and values are authentically my own based on my experience, observation, even research; and, what I have blindly accepted as truth based on what I've been told by those I trust and admire without question, especially when it is an opinion or line of thought that I want to hear and believe.

Jesus tells us that when the clouds gather and the sky darkens we expect rain, and when the temperature and wind increases we easily predict a heat wave, yet we cannot seem to interpret the present time. I don't always want to look at the human-made tragedy and despair in the world and here at home. Rather than think about the uncomfortable, I much prefer the illusion that I'm in control of my life and that there is plenty of time left in it to lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely. Clearly the time is NOW to re-discover, re-interpret, and live through my faith, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of all that I believe. Life is a race to the finish, and finish it will at a time unknown and unexpected. So rather than a "rat race," let me run with perseverance the race that is set before us, the life God has given me to live, in faithfulness, surrounded and supported by the Communion of Saints and Christ at work in the world. Let me Run, Walk, or Ride as the living embodiment of the Gospel of Christ. This Race is ON!

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:
~ Holy God, Maker
of Heaven and Earth, preserve what Your right hand has planted, and encourage
us, despite our earthly divisions, grievances, and disunity, to know Your
Presence at work among us all. Help us to persevere in the way of Christ set
before us.

Restore
us, Lord God

RESPONSE: Make
us instruments of Peace

~ Holy God, Maker
of Heaven and Earth, with the courage and wisdom of the celestial Cloud of
Witnesses around us, let our voices and presence speak and be heard by the
leaders of our Earth, our Country, and our Community, to lay aside the sins
that cling so closely to destructive and unholy words and actions. We pray
especially for: add your own petitions

Restore
us, Lord God

Make
us instruments of Peace

~
Holy God, Maker of Heaven and Earth, sustain the endurance and will to overcome
for all who suffer physically, emotionally, or spiritually, and fortify all who offer supportive care. We now join
our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

Restore
us, Lord God

Make
us instruments of Peace

~ Holy God, Maker
of Heaven and Earth, accompany the mournful through the trial of loss, as the
choirs of Heaven raise great jubilant hymns for those we love now arrived in
the majesty and splendor of Your Kingdom. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Restore
us, Lord God

Make
us instruments of Peace

~ Holy God, Maker
of Heaven and Earth, we pause in this
moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud or
silently…

add your own petitions

Restore
us, Lord God

Make
us instruments of Peace

~ Holy God, Maker
of Heaven and Earth, grant us fortitude, prudence, and persistence to go the
distance, siftingthrough the noise and distortions of forces competing for the banner of Truth.
Help us discover authenticity in those we choose to guide us to interpret Your Word and understand the responsibility for living the Gospel of Christ. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Restore
us, Lord God

Make
us instruments of Peace

The Celebrant adds: O God Omnipotent,may the fires of discord, violence, and
hate that rage across this planet be as cleansing as the waters of Baptism, to reveal
the glory of Salvation beneath the dross of human excess, and the eternal
beauty of the Gospel message. We ask through Jesus, the Pioneer and Perfecter
of Faith, and the Holy Spirit, the Fire of Wisdom, who together with You are One
God, in the blaze of Mercy, Justice, and Everlasting Peace, forever and ever. Amen.

Requests for prayers or meditations for this space or private use may be sent to Leeosophy@gmail.com. All compositions remain the property of the owner of this blog but may be used with attribution as long as they are not sold or charged for in any way.

...seek justice,
rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.[Isaiah 1:17]

...for I am God, your
God...Whoever offers me the sacrifice of thanksgiving honors me; but to those
who keep in my way will I show the salvation of God.[Ps 50:7b, 24]

Now faith is the
assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen...For he
looked forward to the city that has foundations; whose architect and builder is
God...they desire a better country, that is a heavenly one.[Hebrews 11: 1,10, 16a]

Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven...For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also...Be dressed for action
and have your lamps lit...You must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an
unexpected hour.[Luke 12: 33b-35, 40]

Again this week we are reminded that earthly life is very short,
yet there is much to do to be ready for the return of the Son of Man.
While it seems on the one hand that we are always being called to give up
every thing, on the other, this is more about arranging our lives
around what is truly important, placing less emphasis on the material and much
more on the spiritual, the unfailing treasure in heaven. There
is no difficulty in understanding and recognizing the truth of the statement
that where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Paul
reminds us of the strength of the faith of Abraham ~ even when he didn't live
long enough to receive all that was promised, or, perhaps it was his soul that
was gifted and served by God through his faithfulness.

This faith work seems especially hard
in these days and times with so many delicious and even frustrating distractions
that keep us from centering ourselves on our soul's vocation: Full-Time
Faithful Followers of Christ.

One key is simplicity in reducing the
accumulation of unnecessary things, activities, and diversions. Another is to begin and end each day in prayer and find moments throughout the day to offer thanks in between asking for help. Another is genuine,
unplugged (electronically and otherwise ) Sabbath time. Let us keep ourselves in God's way. Yes, yes, I know, I'm working on it, I'll get to it as
soon as I finish writing this, cleaning that, paying
the bills, checking on-line bargains, texting and driving (which may actually
bring one quickly to that unexpected hour and encounter with Jesus or cause it for another)...
Part-time Christianity isn't what God has in mind. Our Heavenly Broker is all
about Vocation Vocation Vocation - using our life's work as preparation for the
unexpected hour when we will be called to the City of God. Be dressed for action. Don't let the time to be
ready slip by unnoticed.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE,
PRAY

Leader: ~ O God, our God, let us continually honor You with
our thanksgivings and always keep in Your Way to be worthy of Your eternal Salvation. Guide us to seek our heart's unfailing treasure in You.

O
Lord Most High

RESPONSE: Guide us home to Your Heavenly Country

~
O God, our God, fill us with conviction in faith to stand among all who lead in
this world, this nation, and our community, and seek the assurance of things
hoped for our neighbors and ourselves - justice, the rescue of the oppressed, and the
defense of those made helpless through war, poverty, and greed. We pray
especially for: add your own petitions

O
Lord Most High

Guide us to Your Heavenly Country

~ O God, our God, gather into Your Heart those
most vulnerable in sickness and despair, and bring them comfort in the form of
loving helpers. We now join our voices to pray
aloud for those in need…add your own petitions

O
Lord Most High

Guide us to Your Heavenly Country

~
O God, our God, we are blessed in our sorrow by the joyful reunion of those
alive again in our glorious Homeland with You. We pray especially for:

add your own petitions

O
Lord Most High

Guide us to Your Heavenly Country

~
O God, our God, we pause in this
moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud or
silently…

add your own petitions

O
Lord Most High

Guide us to Your Heavenly Country

~
O God, our God, delight again the souls of those You have called to gather Your
flock, that together we may radiate the impending bliss of divine and unfailing
treasure. We pray especially for:

add your own petitions

O
Lord Most High

Guide us to Your Heavenly Country

The Celebrant adds: Almighty Creator, you are Architect and Builder of
all that is, seen and unseen. Keep us ever mindful of our short sojourn on this temporal planet, and urge us to be prepared
for the unexpected hour when the Son of Man returns. We ask in the name of
Christ Jesus, the Living Word, and the Holy Spirit, the Revealer of Truth, who
together with You are one God, infinitely, eternally, forever. Amen.

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